The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-06-24
ParneIl's Grand ather.

from Cne hnnS0S NlIy lines.
"Come i'll and hear this story" said
the Hon. Thomas l. James, as |
stopped at the door OF the directors
room of the Lidcoln national bank
of New York. 'YOu know Pay Di-
rector Cunningham of the navy,
of course. He says that he has q
letter from Mr.. Parnell which, when
compared with the London Times
forgery, proves the original of the lat
ter is spurious"
"Yes," said Mr.. Cunningham, "and
there is an interesting bit OF history
connected with the letter l have. l
said to Mr.. Parnell one day that he
came honestly by his hatred of Brit
ish oppression, for his grandfather,
Rear Admiral Charles Stewart, was
one of the best fighters who ever shed
lustre on the United States navy and
the only officer since John Paul Jones
who, with one ship in fair fight, cap,
tured two ofthe enemy. He didn't seem
to know much about it, but the coun-
try was wild nth enthusiasm over it
at, the time. 1t was in February, 1915,
as you remember, that Capt. Stew
arts ship, the Constitution fell in with
the British ships of war Cyane, thir-
ty-tour guns, and Levant, twenty-One
guns, off the coast of Spain, and att
er fight of forty minutes captured
both. Stewart lost three men killed
and thirteen wounded, while the ene-
my lost thirty-five killed and forty
two wounded. The Levant was sub
sequently recaptured by the British
squadron of three ships, which reach
ed the American position under cover
of a dense fog, but Stewart saved his
own ship and the Cyane and kept his
prisoners. When he returned to this
country or was presented by the COM
mon council OF New York with the
freedom of the city in a gold box, and
with his officers was entertained at a
great public dinner. The legislature
OF Pennsylvania voted him a gold
hilted sword and congress rendered
him vote of thanks, and ordered
gold medal struck IN his honor.
81 told Mr.. Parnell this, and that l
had mis- grandfather's commission as
commodore, signed by President An
drew Jackson. In the first place, it
was written by hand; all the commits
sions of Uuited States officers were
written before the time of President
Van Buren; after that they were
printed in ordinary type until the
time of Gen. Grant. Now they are
beautifully engraved. The parchment
in Andrew Jackson's time was coarse,
like leather, and almost as thick as
this sheet ofblotting paper. Jackson's
q remarkable one The first initial is
at least three inches long and CORE
spondingly heavy, and the remainder
OF the name is proportioaed to the
first letter. Youcan imagine how Jack
son, when he took his pen to write it,
said Now, this is for my old friend,
Charley Stewart, and I'll give him
signature that will show him that
mean it.
"Oid Hickory did things for effect,
sometimes, you know. Chief Justice
Taney told me OF a remarkable in
stance. He was with Jackson when
committee from Philadelphia was an
nounced, who desired to see him about
the United States bank. He was in a
most affable mood, but said to Taney;
i must prepare myself for their recep-
tion.' He stalked up and down the
room for minute or two, ran his fin
gers through his hat, put his clothing
away, and grewred in the face. When
the committee came in he roared at
and bullied them, and after they had
gone asked Taney if hedidn't think he
had properly impressed them.
81 offered to give Mr.. Parnell his
grandfather's commission, and when
he received it he wrote me the letter
referred to. Good day. I'm off for
Washingt on.